


Teatime

by capt_eli



Category: Final Fantasy XII
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-08
Updated: 2014-07-08
Packaged: 2018-02-07 23:16:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1917723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/capt_eli/pseuds/capt_eli
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Balthier learns something new about Jules over (or because of) cold tea.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Teatime

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote likeable Jules. And I fell for it. I will say this though, I think that despite all his awfulness, he's probably a total charmer.
> 
> Apologies to queenribbon, quantumsiren, and deltaTea.

Balthier grimaced into his cup at the tea within. “Ugh.”

“Something wrong?” Jules leaned his head on one hand, tiny smile in place as always. They sat in his home--rather nice by Old Archades standards, but still not much--reclined on cushions on the floor. Balthier set his cup, mismatched from Jules’, on the low table in front of them.

“Gone cold,” he said, still licking the last of the tea from his mouth. Jules touched the side of the kettle gingerly, then more bravely when it, too, proved cold. He started to stand, moving toward the tiny fireplace when Balthier had a thought. “Wait,” he said, sitting up straighter. “I want to try.”

Jules looked down at him and raised an eyebrow. “Try what, lighting a match?” he laughed.

Balthier tried to glare but he could never manage it for long when Jules smiled at him like that. “No, I’ve been learning magic in school. They taught us about fire just a few days ago.” He couldn’t keep the grin off his face anymore. Jules stopped smiling.

“Well--,” he started hesitantly. Balthier tugged on his arm until he sat down again. He kissed his stubbly jaw.

“Please?” he whispered.

Jules smiled again and kissed him back. “Just try not to burn my house down, alright?”

Balthier mumbled against his mouth, “Promise.” He sat back, grinning madly, and tried to clear his mind. He held his hands like the instructors taught him, stared down at the kettle, and whispered the words in his head. Nothing happened. Balthier frowned and tried again, feeling his hands get hot. He shook them, sat up a little straighter, took a deep breath, and tried one more time. The air in front of his fingers wavered and he could feel the heat, it was _right there_ , but it didn’t manifest. He slumped back and huffed.

Jules laughed and Balthier shot him a look. When Jules noticed, he stopped, but the grin was still there. “Oh, now, you know I’m not laughing at _you_.” Balthier still rolled his eyes and looked away. Jules kissed the top of his ear. “Let me try,” he whispered.

Balthier looked back incredulously just as Jules brought his hand up in front of the kettle. His lips moved just slightly, enough to make out the incantation Balthier had been taught, and a small stream of fire burst from the space just in front of his fingers. Jules steadied it on the kettle and let it stay for a while. Balthier watched intently.

Steam began to rise from the spout again and Jules let the flame dissipate. He looked at Balthier. “Like that?”

“How--,” Balthier looked from Jules to the kettle and back again. “I thought only Akademy students were taught magic.”

Jules laughed. “No, the Akademy is the place where it’s _allowed_ to be taught. You can learn anything if you know the right people.”

Balthier let his hand hover near the kettle, feeling the heat radiating from it. “Can you teach me?” he breathed.

“Of course.”

“What else can you do?”

Jules got a mischievous gleam in his eye and leaned over Balthier’s cup. Balthier watched him as he mouthed some different words and his fingertips glowed slightly. Jules blew across his fingers and into the cup, his breath illuminated. The tea froze solid. He leaned back, grinning triumphantly. Balthier tried to look stern but he couldn’t keep the amazement from his face.

“I was drinking that,” he scolded lightly.

“No you weren’t.” Jules slipped an arm around Balthier’s waist and pulled him close, until their mouths were almost touching. “You were talking about magic.”

Balthier closed the paltry distance between them, abandoning the tea in favor of warmer activities.


End file.
